X. Introduction to the Skinny-Fat Saga

For a lot of guys, building muscle and losing fat seems impossible. For skinny-fat guys? Even more impossible. You go with the typical muscle building recommendations and you pork up like pig. Then maybe you think you should have went with fat loss, so you jump on that train. Not long after, you wither into a twig.

That's why I don't listen to typical advice. Instead, I use a three step system that I call SOLDIER, and it's designed specifically for a guy struggling with skinny-fat syndrome that wants to lose fat, and build some nice looking muscle.

You're confused, aren't you?

There’s so much to be overwhelmed by. Which diet works? Which diet is best? Is there even such a thing? And which training program is best? Or even good enough for that matter? Why do these websites keep forcing pop-ups into my face? Why do they stop me with a special deal when I try to leave their website?

There's a lot of shadiness and unrealistic expectations out there. You never know if someone you're looking up to happened to take anabolic steroids or some other drug. You never know if they had a guru grandpa that began training them when they were three years old.

And even if you do know, what does that mean? How does that help you if you were more likely to spend your adolescent days playing Super Smash Brothers rather than high school football?

So not only is it tough to separate good from bad — don't forget, there's this whole skinny-fat thing you're working with. What's that about. Does it change anything? Is it possible that good things for others aren't good things for you?

(I’ll give you a hint: yes.)

But if you listen to someone that’s never been skinny-fat? All of that gets shoved under the rug.

What building a body means

You're probably at a point of self-loathing that you’d rather not be at. Maybe you’re ready to change yourself and build an athletic looking body that says, “This is who I am. I'm not damaged.” A six pack means more to you than picking up chicks, doesn't it?

But you probably have no idea where to start. Or maybe you already have started, and that’s why you’re here. (A lot of strategies seem to create more skinny-fatness than solve it!)

Or maybe you’re just tired of people that don’t understand you.

That's why I'm writing about this Saga. I know how it feels because I grew up skinny-fat. I understand what you're going through. When I dreamed of being built like Goku, I didn't know where to start. Over time (and many failures), I started to notice two things.

Two things of immediate skinny-fat note

First, skinny-fat dudes are built like triangles.

Small up top, big on the bottom. That needs to change, and there’s only a few ways to make this happen. Following any old generic muscle building routine isn't ideal. You need something that specifically develops what I know call (a) the wings, and (b) the halo. You'll learn about this as we move along, as the entire training philosophy is built around building an “X” physique to combat the common skinny-fat “A” physique.

Second, most successful physical transformations you see are skinny-to jacked, not skinny-fat-to-jacked.

We'll get into many case studies, so don't worry. But you can't compare yourself to someone that doesn't have your body. You aren't a steroid shooting genetifreak or a skin and bones skinny guy that can shove food down your face in order to build muscle without worry of fat gain. What works for them won't work for you. At least, in the purest form. You need to make adjustments — adjustments that you will learn soon.

Some immediate things to think about

If this has resonated with you, you're probably going to like it here. I’m here to (a) hopefully save you some wasted time, (b) steer you in the right direction, specific to skinny-fat mental and physical baggage (in other words, stop flat bench pressing — it ain't taking you anywhere you need to go), and (c) deliver honest expectations from a guy that's naturally walked the path.

All of this philosophy and personal experimentation fueled SOLDIER. It's a three step system designed specifically for a skinny-fat sufferer in order to reset and rebuild the body in a way that, quite frankly, just makes sense based off my own experiences. But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, you just need to read.

Who should be here

The Skinny-Fat Saga is my take on beginner training. Face it: if you're skinny-fat, you don't really have that great of a grasp on how things work, and it needs fixed. (Either that or you do have a good grasp and something else prevents you from progressing — I hope to solve these situations, too.)

I mentioned that stuckness often prevents you from seeing Quality, and that's why this Saga comes first. The vast majority of people are stuck with their body composition. They don't know how to change, and until that itself changes it will be tough to move on with a clear mind.

A second reason why this Saga comes first is because it's designed with a foundation in mind. As I write this, I use many training methods and nutrition strategies that aren't ideal to be dove into from the get-go. This collection of essays you're reading, including The Skinny-Fat Saga, build upon one another. They are sequential. So in this Saga, you're going to learn the basics as it relates to building a certain kind of body, and those basics will prepare you for advanced methods of the same goal. You're going to learn how to handle nutrition in a sequential manner for losing fat and gaining muscle, too.

Consider this the Master Roshi level. You're coming into this probably with some previous thoughts and ideas, but those thoughts and ideas weren't what you needed for whatever reason, as evidence by the fact that you're still looking for answers. So we build from the bottom.

Here's some truth you need

The truth is that not everyone will beat skinny-fat syndrome and build a body that says, “This is what I’m capable of.” Those that follow the typical advice have worse odds, it seems.

You might not be ready for this. You might not like it here. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not going to tell you there’s a magical pill out there that will solve everything. It’s not a walk in the park on a sunny summer day. It’s not easy.

But if you’re ready for the Journey, there’s no better time. No better place.

Do yourself a favor and make today better than yesterday. It’s your move.

Although we dive into skinny-fat syndrome from the bottom up starting next essay, you should take a look at all of the essays that have come before this is the overarching story that's being told. It will help you get in the right mindset for what's to come.

How exactly do you define “skinny-fat?” Is it just an ectomorph with high body fat, or are there additional features? I’m a naturally bony guy who developed a bit of a gut from eating unhealthy food and avoiding exercise, but I never had man-boobs or anything.